West Indian legend Chris Gayle then reacted with admiration Rajasthan Royals‘ teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi broke one of the most iconic records Indian Premier League history in the period IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mullanpur. The 15-year-old produced a breathtaking display of power that led Rajasthan Royals to a dominant victory and left the cricketing world in awe.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi breaks Chris Gayle’s long-standing record
Suryavanshi went on an absolute rampage against the SRH bowling attack and etched his name into the IPL record books with a sensational knock of 97 off just 28 deliveries. The left-handed batsman hit an astonishing 12 sixes during his explosive innings, surpassing Gayle’s record for most sixes in an IPL season.
Gayle set the benchmark in 2012 when he hit 59 sixes Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This record remained untouched for 14 years until Suryavanshi surpassed it with his maximum of 65 in the season. What made this feat even more extraordinary was the speed with which the young man achieved it.
While Gayle required 456 balls to complete his record-breaking season in 2012, Suryavanshi crossed the milestone in just 266 deliveries, highlighting the fearless approach and devastating consistency he has displayed in IPL 2026.
The RR opener also created another historic milestone by hitting the most number of sixes in an IPL playoff or knockout match. His maximum of 12 eclipsed Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill’s record of 10 sixes in his unforgettable century against Mumbai Indians in the 2023 playoffs.
Gayle crowns Suryavanshi as cricket’s ‘New Six Machine’
Soon after the record was broken, Gayle took to social media platform X to congratulate the teenage prodigy, officially welcoming him as cricket’s latest powerhouse superstar. The former West Indies opener, known as the ‘Universe Boss’, was full of praise for the youngster and acknowledged the entertainment he provided to the fans during the high-pressure Eliminator clash.
“What a phenomenal player Vaibhav. Great fun young man! New Six machine @IPL,” Gayle posted on X.
What a phenomenal player Vaibhav is. Great fun young man! Six new cars @IPL pic.twitter.com/ofElAousF7
— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) May 27, 2026
The tribute to one of T20 cricket’s greatest entertainers quickly went viral among fans, with many describing it as a symbolic passing of the torch from one generation of six batsmen to the next.
Suryavanshi missed out on Gayle’s fastest T20 century by the best margin
Suryavanshi’s stunning knocks took him agonizingly close to another legendary Gayle record. The young batsman scored almost the fastest century in the history of T20 cricket, a feat achieved by Gayle in 2013 with a 30-ball hundred against Pune Warriors India. The Rajasthan Royals opener reached 97 runs in just 28 deliveries and needed just one wicket to reach his historic 29-ball century. However, looking to clear the boundary again, Suryavanshi mistimed the throw and was caught at deep third man.
Despite missing the highlight, his innings completely changed the momentum of the contest and took Rajasthan Royals to a total. RR eventually beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs to secure their place in Qualifier 2, where they will now face Gujarat Titans for a place in the IPL 2026 final.
At just 15, Suryavanshi has already achieved what many established stars can only dream of and his record-breaking season is fast making him the face of cricket’s next generation.
